A Beautiful French Style Wooden Decoration – a pretty pediment

“Let’s get you another piece of wood to put your paint tin on, it doesn’t look very safe there” he said with a deep sigh whilst staring at a two and a half litre tin of Farrow and Ball’s Skimming Stone balancing precariously on a frame. I was in a hurry you see. The football was on later and if I was to take advantage of this hot summers day and dry the paint on this weeks upcycle and get it hung in situ, then I really didn’t have time to lay down dust sheets and clear up every thing as I went along. And yes there were a few paint drips on the old patio. No-one would notice though, it all adds to the patina. I was on a mission to bring you this weeks inexpensive home decor idea; a wooden decoration you might see in french style homes, a pediment some would call it and nothing was getting in my way…

My mind is always looking at a ‘something’ and wondering what its next purpose will be. I think it’s another trait from my wonderful grandmother who threw nothing away. Take for example the simple flowers growing in our lovely new wildflower garden. Almost as soon as they are cut and in the jug or glass jar, I’m working out if they will make gorgeous summer pot pourri. This year I’m pressing delicate flowers in between the faded pages of these old books to use later in homemade cards or perhaps as tiny adornments to gift tags or brown paper wrapping. Charity shop finds and pine bar stools are looked at closely for my next inexpensive home decor project. Even nondescript clear bags I purchased to hold these winter firestarters are currently being used for beautiful bath time treats made with summer essential oils for gifting when warm days are over.

So imagine my delight when my lovely friend from chalkgrey_homeinteriors invited me round recently to have a look through her ‘to be got rid of’ pile. Hers is an account to follow for beautiful one-off pieces of french furniture, paintings and pretties which she sells through both Instagram and at the wonderful packhousefarnham a self proclaimed treasure trove of beautiful and one-off pieces. Definitely worth a visit. We’ve been friends for years and when my friend says she’s going to get rid of something, I just know I’m going to love it. Just like I did with this beauty…

The top of an original french armoire no less … a pediment to some… to me a wooden decoration to adorn my kitchen. You know me well enough by now to know what happened next. My inner squealing was at max. As I walked into her studio bursting at the seams with bits and stuff (her idea of hell, mine of heaven) I had seen it long before she said anything to me. Quite frankly I couldn’t believe my ears when she asked “can you  do anything with this?” And there were several other beauties too, just like you’d see in french style homes and which I’ll share with you in future posts. I gave this wooden decoration a little rub to expose the original oak and see if I liked it in its natural state. And I did, except that our old bungalow windows are a dark wood and the north facing kitchen never gets too much light, so I felt it would be too imposing left unpainted. Besides we spent nearly a month before we moved in painting the old dark kitchen in an attempt to brighten it up, so it seemed silly not to paint this beauty. I’ve already decided when the home is renovated I may strip it back and use it somewhere else (see there goes that mind again) for now though, it was out with the primer for one quick coat and two coats of the paint to get to this stage…

Then with the sandpaper and block, I took it back to the original wood in places where time would ordinarily do the job.

And I used this wax to seal and protect the finished beautiful painted wooden decoration. Then came a problem and time was running out. This wax says it is clear. It’s not, it’s orange. Of course I know it means it will dry clear. It also means it will sit in wood grain and remain orange if you can’t get your cloth to it.

“How’s it going darling?” asked Mr M as he headed off in the direction of the bedroom to get ready for a lunch with friends before the match. One look at my face told him this french style upcycle was not going well. “You need an old toothbrush or something” he offered “something to go gently over the grain and draw it out” he said with emphasis on the word gently. And then he cleared off. Huffing and puffing I went in search of an old toothbrush to no avail and ready to admit defeat for the day, I sulked my way back to my repurposed wood which now seemed very un-repurposed. And there was Mr M, with an old brush that had seen better days, gently removing the offending orange wax and saying “there you go” as he sauntered off back to the bedroom.

I could not be more pleased with this painted wooden decoration. And I know my friend knew exactly where I was going to put the finished french style piece because she’s been dragged round countless junk shops and brocantes with me saying “I just need a chandelier for Belle” (as you do) and “keep an eye out for a french style pediment thingy-a-me-jig for my kitchen pelmet”. Here’s the painted and bare pelmet before…

And here we are complete with the beautiful pediment. Do you like it? I even kept the original fixings on the end and painted a little over the new nails so they looked like they’d been there forever too.

So Mr M saved the day and my lovely friend’s junk became my latest piece of inexpensive home decor. A bit like the beautiful Kate Forman blind which didn’t fit any of her windows in her beautiful new home and which with a bit of jiggling around worked a treat at my kitchen window. I went off to the football lunch that day feeling very blessed with a wonderful husband who puts up with the odd hissy fit here and there and a dear friend who knows me way too well. Lucky me… enjoy your week x

Here’s another inexpensive home decor idea you might like with more detailed instructions of the ageing and distressing part. Do remember to leave a comment or two and join in!